Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Matthew 5:48, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
The love of God moves us, preserves us, keeps us, and reaches us wherever we are.
And this very love is the love we have toward one another in the church.
This unconditional love of God is the love with which we love each other.
This is what makes the perfect church.
All the members, with all their imperfections, are in a fellowship with one another in the love of God.
The perfect church is the church that has the love of God flowing in all the imperfect members toward all the other imperfect members.
In Matthew 5:48 when the Lord said, “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect,” He was not speaking of a moral kind of perfection–having a completely righteous and rectified life without any problems, faults, or sins.
Of course, we are not condoning sin; but here the Lord was not referring to a sinless life.
When we think of “perfect,” we think of living a perfect life of absolute holiness according to God’s standard.
But here the context of being perfect is Matthew 5:44: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
This means love the unlovable.
Love the ones who are irritating to you.
Love your enemies.
Then He says, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
This means that the Father’s love is perfect toward all sinful men.
That is the meaning of perfection.
Also, in Colossians 3:14 Paul tells the believers, “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” or “the bond of perfectness.”
Thus, there can be a perfect church.
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
MONDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Jim Mabe’s memorial service will be Thursday at 2:00 at the church.
Paula Ferus
Marlon Cook
June Cronan
Amy Garner
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Andrew Halevi & Daughter
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Brandon’s Dad
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Dan Haines
Darlene Wiggins
David Burnette
David Harrison
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Easton Fielder
Eric Ward
Erik Magnusson
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
James Garner’s Friend
Jillian Gray
Jodi Bateman
John Austin
John McClain
June Cronan’s Sister
Kim McClain’s Mother
Larry Barker
Lee Cronan
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
Ricky Gipson – Ashley’s Brother
Ricky Stubbs
Rose Fuller
Roseleigh Osborn
Sandra Graham
Scott Lanier
Soso Nzolo – 17 Yr. Old South African Pastor’s Daughter
Tom Witcher